NORTH ISLAND ROADS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 20 December 1927, Page 9

NORTH ISLAND ROADS.

LATEST REPORTS. TOURISTS ’ 1 NFOiRAI ATION. The South Taranaki Automobile Association b-a-s issued a report on road conditions for the information of members of the association who propose touring during the Christmas holidays. Til© -report’ contains the following information : Alain Trunk.—AVellington to Shannon to Palmerston North, 100 miles: Between Paokakariki to Paraparaumu the road is now in a very bad condition; short section in Otaki Borough, near railway -station, needs caution; a- risk of broken springs. Wellington to Foxton to- Palmerston North, 104 miles: Good. Fo-xton to- Bulls, 20 miles: Loose gravel, but improves by use of grades. Bulls to- Taiha-pe, 50 miles: Good. Ta-ihape to Ohakune, 40 miles : Only fair, chains required if bad weather between Hihitahi -and Waiou-ru, and Tangi wliai and Kari-o-i; unmetalled between Ohakune and Alabama. AV-ai-o-uru to Toka-anu : Not- recommended ; centre portion very rough; several ford-s to cross. Taiha-pe to Napier: Narrow road; large portion unmetalled, but quite passable; service cars run daily. Bulls to Wanganui, 23 to- 30 miles: Good all the way. Wanganui to- Qhaicune, 83 miles : Passable in fine weatser; chains required if wet; seven miles unmetalled at Para-para ; requires careful driving; many sharp bends; not recommended after -heavy 2-ain. Ohakune to- Taumaranui, 65 miles: Ve.ry good ; Ohakune to- Horopito. rough and not recommended; passable for experienced motorists. Taumaranui to Te Kuiti, 51 miles: Very rough; chains required; passable fine weather only. Te Ivuiti to- Hamilton, 52 miles : First twenty miles pot-holes; balance good. Hamilton to- Pokeno, 40 miles: Good, except pot-holes round Huntly. Pokeno to- Auckland : Good metal road. . Taranaki. —Wanganui to New Plymouth, 105 miles. Excellent -all the way. -Stratford t-o Tangarakau Gorge (if weather dry), in good order (apply Stratford branch South Taranaki Auto. Association for latest information). New Plymouth to Te Kuiti, 112 mi lie®: 75 miles good .last 35 very rough. New Plymouth to Awakino Valley road in first-class order. Parts round Alahoenui rough ; balance very rough. North Auckland. -- Auckland to Whangarei. fair. Auckland to Htk-ns-vi He, 39 miles. Leaving the concrete at Henderson, the road through the Lincoln Road to Haeha-i is good • new metalled all the way. Helen-sville to Dargaville. 70 miles. Good. Bad loose metal over AV-aitakore ranges. AYainaku Hill lia.s bad surface. ’ Helensvil.’e to Kaitaia-: Part metal, in good condition.

East Coast and Taupo.—Wellington to Masterton: General condition of all road® in the Wairara-pa is good. Best route from Masterton to Eketahuna is via Mt. Bruce 1 ; Bowen Roa.d is passable, but more pot holes. Masterton to Napier: Roads from Waipukurau to Porangahua Beach, metalled- and in good order- Waipawa to Pourere Reach, metalled and in good order. Palmerston North to Woodville, 17 miles, good. Woodvil'e to Napier, 120 miles, good. Napier to W-airoa, 82 miles: Matahoia bridge very dangorou®; not- repaired since flood six months ago. From Napier to Tangoio loose .shingle and pot holes. \Vai.roa. to Gisborne. 66 miles: Good, metalled and .in excellent condition. Waiiroa to AVai hare mo-ana : Exoellent road to Lake outlet. The lastfive miles round the Lake side- to the accommodation house- is fairly rough. Imt passable now -in wot weather. Final me falling on this portion will be completed in two months’ time. Napier to Taupo, 100 miles: Napier to Tc Polnie requires attention, then good condition. Taupo to Waima.r-ino, 82 miles. Fair condition. Four.miles branch off at Tongariro bridge for Tokaanu. Wa-i----marino to Raet-ihi : Quite good; gangs now working on worst part,. Taupo to Rotorua-. 56 miles: Good; rough in few places, but always passable. Rotorua to Wbakatane. 56 miles : Good. Whnkatiiue lo Gisborne. 143 miles: Good, if tine. Chains required if wet: clay section unmetalled between Matawa and Ot-ako- If very wet weather cars could be railed from Gisborne- to Motu. Gisborne to Hicks’ Bay: All .roads good at present. Ru a tori a to Hick® Bay liable to be difficult in wet weather. Taupo to Atiamuri. 26 miles: Pumice road in good condition, chains occasionally required in wet weather. Atiamuri to Hamilton, 74 miles: Similar condition to previous -stretch. Rotorua to Tirau, 34 miles : Good if fine, chain,s required if wet. About two miles newlv-gradi?d; had if much rain Tirau to Hamilton. 35 miles: Good. "Whokatane to Tauranga, 62 miles: Good, all metal. Tauranga. to Waih.i. 43 miles: At present in first-class order. If wet chains reouired for five miles between ten and fifteen mile neg. Rotorua to Tauranga. 56 miles: Good, wdh exception of not holes between Te Puke and Tauranga. Wailii to Pokeno, 65 miles: Good. ______